Safety razor



- June 6, 1933. PAGE 1,912,720

SAFETY RAZOR Original Filed May 4, 1931 INVENTOR. Marsha/l R256 PatentedJune 6, 1933 PATENT I OFFICE 'MARSHALL H. PAGE, OF..KANSAS CITYQIMISSOURI SAFETY RAZOR My invention relates to safety razors, and moreparticularly to anew and improved frame or blade holder for a safetyrazor.

It isa purpose of my invention to provide a safety razor that is soconstructed that the removable blade may be readily in sorted andremoved therefrom with the removal of theblade being accomplishedwithholder or frame that'isso constructed that m the blade is inclamping engagement with the frame only at three points, and so that theframe is Widely spaced from the blade everywhere except along the sideedges thereofand the forward cuttingedge oflthe blade, thus preventingthe clogging of :the space between the frame and the blade or under theblade with soap or other shaving application, which clogs the ordinaryrazor and interferes with the proper cutting action thereof. In order tofurther avoidany such clogging, Ihave provided a razor in which theguard portion is made up of deep, widely spaced teeth. y v It is anotherobject of my invention to provide a safety razor of the above mentionedcharacter in which the corners of the blade on the cutting edgeareprotected so as to prevent accidental. cutting of the face bytheseicorners. 7 It is a very important purpose of my in vention toprovide new and improved means for holding the blade in cutting,position and for releasing the blade for removal H from the razoiysaidmeans comprising a niounting for the blade, including widelon-;.gitudinal ledges on a pair of side flanges ontheframe and undercutstops at-the forward'ends of said flanges ad acent the guardineans,'whereby the blade is adapted to rest -on said ledges andengagesaidstopfmem- 9 hers, said step members also serving to proablycomprising an extension directed in an Application filed May 4, 1931,Serial No. 534,841. Renewed Ai gust 19, 1932.

tect the corners ofthe blade in the manner referred to above, and aspring pressed lever, which urges theblade toward the stop members anddowni vardly against the ledges Said lever is elongated and is mountedpivotally on the frame near the handle, and has a hook-like end portionthat engages the rear edge of the blade and partially around the top ofthe blade at said rear edge to exert a forward and downward pressure onthe blade toward the stop members.

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide simple and easilyoperable means for actuating the lever to release the blade, or topermit insertion of the blade into position to be moved into cuttingposition by said lever, said means comprising a finger piece on thelever for rotating the same against the action of the spring, and prefer0 opposite direction relative to the pivot from the blade engagingportion of the lever so as to lie near the handle portion of the razor.Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear as thedescription of the drawing proceeds. I desire to have it understood,however, that I do not intend to limit myself by the particular detailsshown or described, except as defined in the claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is aside elevation of my improved razor.

Fig. 2 is a rear cndelevation thereof, the handle being partly brokenaway. i 5

Fig. 3 is a front end elevation thereof with the handle partially brokenaway.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4& of Fig. 2.

Fig. .5 is a section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 4. Referring in detailto the drawing, my improved razor comprises a frame 10, having atransverse web portion 11, and a pair of side flanges 12, betweenwhichis located 'a wide, deeprecess 18. The transverse web portion.

ll is provided with a boss 14, in which the handle member 15 is ascrew-threadedly secured, said handle member being made of tubing, as iscustomary.

The transverse web portion 11 of the frame extends forwardly from thehandle at an oblique angle, and terminates in the obliquely extendingguard teeth 16, said teeth being widely spaced apart,.as will be evidentfrom Figs. 2, 3 and 5, and being provided with deep slots 17 between thesame, said slots being much deeper than the di tance between theadjacent teeth and the thickness of the teeth from front to back, toprovide deep spaces between the teeth, the spaces between the teethbeing much greater than the thickness of the teeth themselves, whichprovides for easy passage between said guard teeth of soap or othershaving application that may be used for shaving purposes, whichotherwise would clog the spaces between the teeth. The forward ends ofthe teeth 16 are rounded, as at 18, on a gradual curvature, and theforward edges thereof conform substantially to the curvature of theforward edge portions 19 of the sideflanges 12. The side flanges 12 havethe upper edges 20 thereof inclined toward the web portion 11, from therear ends thereof toward the forward ends thereof, and each is providedwith a wide flat ledge 21, extending lengthwise of said flange 12, andalso extending at an oblique angle to the web portion 11, which isslightly less than the angularity of the top edges 20 of the flanges.

In order to reduce the amount of material in the side flanges 12, thesame are offset above the ledges 21, to provide the flange portions 22extending above said ledges and the undercut portion 23 below saidledges. Said side flanges are further provided with a pair of lips 24extending toward each other inwardly from the flanged portions 22 at theforward ends of the ledges 21 to provide stopmembers, said lip portionshaving a beveled edge 25 on the rear side thereof, to thus provide anundercut stop flange on the rear side of thestop member 24 forengagement by the thinned cutting edge 26 of the relatively heavy hollowground blade 27 having the thickened rear edge 28.

The cutting edge 26 of the blade 27 rests in the undercut grooves in thestop members 24 on opposite sides thereof, protecting said corners so asto prevent accidental. cutting of the face by means of said corners ofthe blade. The edge 26 of the blade will then he slightly above andsubstantially in alignment with the uppermost part of the curved portion18 of the teeth, forming the guard means on the razor, but not inengagement therewith, thus serving to prevent accidental cutting withthe blade, but permitting the entire blade from one stop 24 to the otherstop to exert its cutting action on the hair, and provides a small spaceunder the edge of the blade through which the soap and hair that hasbeen cut off will pass between the same and into the wide deep recess13, underlying the blade 27 and between said blade and the web portion11 of the frame.

Means is provided for holding the blade in operative position, that is,in engagement with the stops 24 on the ledges 21, said means being soconstructed that it will permit readily inserting the blade in position,and also providing for the quick and easy removal of the blade withouttouching the same with the hands. In order to accomplish this theflanges have the upper end portions 22 thereof extending straightupwardly in substantially parallel relation, and substantiallyperpendicular to the ledges 21, whereby the blade may be laid intoposition between the flange portions 22 on the ledges 21, when the bladeclamping means is moved out of operative position, said blade beingentirely free and exposed over its entire area above the ledges 21,except at the rear edge thereof at one point where the clamping meansengages the same, and except for the corners of the cutting edge thatare engaged under the undercut flanges 25 on the stops 24, thusproviding an unobstructed free space above the blade between the rearand forward edges thereof, and between the flanges 22.

The clamping means comprises a lever, which is pivoted on the frame, arearwardly extending bracket portion 29 being provided on the frame,which has the pivot ears 30 thereon, through which a pivot pin 31extends for pivotally mounting the lever 32 on said frame, said lever 32having a pair of side flanges 33 extending around the ears 30, andthrough which the pivot pin 31 passes. Said lever comprises an upwardlyextending elongated arm 34, which is slight 1y curved, as will beevident from Figs. 1 and 4, and which may be reduced between the endsthereof to provide an improved appearance for the same and to reduce theamount of material therein.

The extreme upper end portion of the arm 34 of the lever is curvedforwardly to provide a hook shaped end portion 35 thereon, said leverbeing slightly channeled transversely below the extreme end thereof, asshown at 36, to conform substantially to the shape of the rear edge 28of the blade 27. The lever 32 is provided with resilient means tendingto urge the arm 34 toward the blade 27, saidresilient means in thearrangement shown, comprising a coil spring 37 wound around the pivotpin 31, and having one end 38 thereof engaging the inner face of thedownwardly extending portion 39 of the lever 32, and having the otherend 40 thereof seated in an opening in the bracket 29, the spring beingso formed as to exert a strong tension, tending to rotate thelever in acounter-clockwise direction, as

viewed in Figs.1 and 4.

p The lever 82 is provided with a forwardly extending stop shoulder 41between the ears 33, engaging the upper side of the bracket 29 tolimitthe movement of the lever in a clamping direction, this stop shoulderbeing of such form and extending forwardly such a distance that it willengage the upper face of the bracket 29 when the arm 34 of the lever hasmoved only a slight distance past the normalposition thereof in clampingengagementwith the blade 27 thus making it necessary to move the leveronly a small amount about its pivot to move the same from its positionof rest when no blade is in the razor, to a point such that the bladecan be dropped into position between the flanges 22 onto the ledges 21'.

This can be very readily done when the lever is retracted by applicationof the thumb or finger to the knurled finger piece 4-2 provided on thedepending arm 39 of the lever 32, and no particular care is nec essaryin applying the blade to the razor, as

it cannot drop between the lodges 21 even at one end thereofunless it isinserted with extreme carelessness, due to the width of said ledges2l.lVith the blade in position on said ledges with the razor either held inthe position shown in Fig. 1, or with the same in any position that theflanges incline downwardly toward the stops 2%, the blade will have thetendency to slide downwardly on the ledges 21 toward said stops and thelever 32 when released will aid such movement due to the formationthereof at its upper end portion andthe location of the rear edge of theblade 28 slightly back of the pivot member 31, which will tend to movethe blade downwardly along the ledges and force the same into engagementwith the ledges 21 by theqpressure of said lever on the rear edgethereof and along the top rear corner thereof. The action of the leverwill be, principally, in a direction, from the lip 35 thereon toward thestops 2%, which will prevent any tilting of the blade on the ledges 21,and provide a true sliding motion of the same along said ledges.

By providing an open free space above the ledges 21, betweenthe flangeportions 22, the blade can be very easily and quickly removed from theframe without touching the same with the fingers, this being verydesirable, as thefingers are frequentlycut in attempting to remove awetand soapy blade from a razor frame. In order to do this, the fingerpiece 42 is pressed toward the handle 15 to release the blade 27, andthe razor is held in such a position that the lever 34- is downwardly,or in other words, it is tilted so that the rear part of the blade isdownward, which will cause the blade to slide out from under theundercut flanges 25 on the stops 24E so as to release the same,whereupon the blade will drop out from between the flange portions 22,andit will be disengaged entirely from the frame, dropping out of thesame on whatever surface may be under the razor at the time the blade isreleased. In order to prevent injury to the blade, it is of course,advisable to drop the blac c on a towel or similar soft member toprevent niclring of the cutting edge.

The spring 37 is made very strong so that a :onsiderable pressure has tobe exerted on the f' gcr piece to move the lever to blade relct, ngposition, thus preventing accidental disengagement of the blade byaccidertal engagement with the finger piece wl'ule the razor is in use.

Vl liat I claim is 1.111 a safety razor, a blade holding frame having achannelled body portion proriding pair of side flanges with a deep,wide, unobstructed recess therebetween, and a transverse web portion, ahandle extending from said web portion, said side flanges havbladesupporting l, low the top edges of said flanges, said une having aplurality of guard teeth projecting from the forward edge of said webportion obliquely toward theforward ends of said ledges, a bladesupported on said ledges, stops on said side flanges limiting theforward movement of said blade, a lever pivotally mounted on said frameand embracing the rear edge of saidblade, resilient i'ueens urging saidlever into engagement with said blade and urging said blade toward saidstops and a finger piece on said lever for moving the same out of engageI ment with said blade.

2. In a safety razor, a blade holding frame having a channelled bodyportion providing a pair of side flanges with a deep, Wide, unobstructedrecess therebetween, and a transverse web portion, a handle extendingfrom said web portion, said side flanges having blade supporting ledgesthereon spaced bethe forward movement of said blade, a lever pivotallymounted on said frame and cmbracing. the rear edge of saidblade,resilient means urging said lever into engagement with, said bladeand urging said blade toward said stops for moving the sanie out ofengagement with said blade, said frame being open and unobstructed bothabove below said blade,

said blade contacting only said stops, said ledges and said lever.

ledges thereon spaced and a finger piece on said lever flanges at theforward ends of said ledges engaging the opposite forward corners ofsaid blade and limiting the forward movement of said blade, a leverpivotally mounted on said frame and engaging the rear edge of said bladesaid lever having its blade on gaging portion embracing said rear edgeof said blade, resilient means urging said lever into engagement withsaid blade and urging said blade into engagement with the undercutportions of said stops and a finger piece on said lever for moving thesame out of engagement with said blade.

4. In a safety razor, a frame having a transversely extending portionprovided with a pair of side flanges upstanding therefrom to provide awide, unobstructed recess in said frame, a handle extending from saidtransversely extending portion, wide flat blade supporting ledges onsaid side members extending obliquely relative to said transverseportion of said frame, said flanges having undercut stop members at theforward ends of said ledges, a blade engaging said ledges and slidablelongitudinally of the same, guard teeth on the forward edge of saidframe adjacent the forward edges of said side flanges, a lever pivotedon said frame adjacent said handle and having a hook-like end portionengaging around the rear edge and over the top of said blade adjacentsaid rear edge, a resilient member urging said lever into engagementwith said blade and a finger piece on said lever for moving the sameagainst the action of said resilient means said frame being open andunobstructed between said side flanges above said ledges rearwardly ofsaid stops whereby the upper face of said blade is entirely free andunobstructed between said side flanges from the forward to the rear edgethereof.

5. In a safety razor, a frame having a transversely extending portionprovided with a pair of side flanges upstanding therefrom to provide awide, unobstructed recess in said frame, a handle extending from saidtransversely extending portion, wide, flat blade supporting ledges onsaid'side members extending obliquely relative to said transverseportion of said frame, said rflanges having undercut stop members at thethe action of said resilient means said frame being open andunobstructed between said side flanges above said ledges rearwardly ofsaid stops whereby, the upper face of said blade is entirely free andunobstructed between said side flanges from the forward to the rear edgethereof, and said blade is free to drop out of said frame upon releaseof said lever from the blade and tilting of said frame.

6. In a safety razor, a frame having a transversely extending portionprovided with a pair of side flanges upstanding therefrom to provide adeep, unobstructed recess in said frame, a handle extending from saidtransversely extending portion, wide, fiat blade supporting ledges 011said side members extending obliquely relative to said transverseportion of said frame, said flanges having undercut stop members at theforward ends of said ledges, a blade. engaging said ledges and slidablelongitudinally of the same, deep, widely spaced guard teeth on theforward edge of said frame adjacent the forward edges of said sideflanges, a lever pivoted on said frame adjacent said handle and having acurved end portion engaging the rear edge of said blade and the topthereof adjacent said rear edge end and, a resilient member urging said.lever into engagement with said blade said frame being open andunobstructed between said side flanges above said ledges rearwardly ofsaid stops whereby the upper face of said blade is entirely free andunobstructed between said side flanges from the forward to the rear edgethereof, said frame having only said transversely extending portionbetween said side flanges which is spaced a substantial distance fromsaid blade rearwardly of said guard teeth when said blade is inoperative position, whereby clogging of said razor with soap isprevented.

7. In a safety razor, a frame having a transversely extending portion.provided with a pair of side flanges upstanding therefrom to provide awide, deep recess in said frame, a handle extending from saidtransversely extending portion, wide, lat blade supporting ledges onsaid side members extending obliquely relative to said transverseportion of said frame, said flanges having undercut stop members at theforward ends of said ledges, a blade engaging said ledges and slidablelongitudinally of the same, guard teeth on the forward edge of saidframe adjacent the forward edges of said side flanges, said frame havinga rearwardly extending bracket thereon adjacent said handle, a leverpivoted on said bracket, one end of said lever having a hook-flanged endembracing the rear edge of said blade cen trally and the other end ofsaid lever forming a finger piece adjacent said handle, a resilientmember urging said lever into engagement with the rear edge of saidblade to urge said blade along said guide ledges toward said stopmembers said blade being otherwise free, whereby said blade is engagedat three spaced points to hold the same in position on said ledges.

8. In a safety razor, a frame having a transversely extending portionprovided with a pair of side flanges upstanding therefrom to provide adeep, unobstructed recess in said frame, a handle extending from saidtransversely extending portion, wide, flat blade supporting ledges onsaid side members extending obliquely relative to said transverseportion of said frame, said flanges having undercutstop members at theforward ends of said ledges, a blade engaging said ledges and slidablelongitudinally of the same, deep, widely spaced guard teeth on theforward edge of said frame adjacent the forward edges of said sideflanges, a lever pivoted on said frame adjacent said handle and having acurved end portion embracing the rear edge of said blade, a resilientmember urging said lever into engagement with said blade, a finger pieceon said lever for moving the same against the action of said resilientmeans said frame being open and unobstructed between said side flangesabove said ledges rearwardly of said stops whereby the upper face ofsaid blade is entirely free and unobstructed be tween said side flangesfrom the forward to the rear edge thereof to facilitate assembly anddisassembly of said blade and frame, said frame being spaced asubstantial dis tance from said blade rearwardly of said guard teethwhen said blade is in operative position, whereby clogging of said razorwith soap is prevented, and stop means on said lever engaging said frameto limit the movement of said lever toward the forward edge of saidframe at a point a short distance beyond its blade clamping position.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 30 day of April,1931. MARSHALL H. PAGE.

